| Star Wars prequel trilogy | |
|---|---|
   The Star Wars prequel trilogy logos | |
| Directed by | |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | George Lucas |
| Produced by | |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | John Williams |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | 1999–2019: 20th Century Fox Since 2019: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures[a] |
Release dates |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $343 million (total for I–III) |
| Box office | $2.526 billion (total for I–III) |
The Star Wars prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was released from 1999 to 2005 and is set before the original Star Wars trilogy (1977–1983), chronologically making it the first act of the Skywalker Saga. Lucas had planned a prequel trilogy (as well as a sequel trilogy) before the release of the original film, but halted major Star Wars films beyond the original trilogy by 1981. When computer-generated imagery (CGI) had advanced to the level he wanted for the visual effects he wanted for subsequent films, Lucas revived plans for the prequels by the early 1990s. The trilogy marked Lucas's return to directing after a 22-year hiatus following the original Star Wars film in 1977, as well as a 16-year hiatus between the classic and prequel trilogies.
The trilogy consists of Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999), Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002), and Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). The films follow the training of the powerful youth Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi under the tutelage of Jedi Masters Qui-Gon Jinn[b] (1999), Obi-Wan Kenobi[c] and Yoda,[d] his fall to the dark side of the Force and rebirth as Darth Vader. The trilogy also depicts the corruption of the Galactic Republic, the annihilation of the Jedi Order, and the rise of the Empire under Palpatine (secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious). The first two films received mixed reviews, while the third's reception was more positive. All three enjoyed box-office success.
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